COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The entire Franklin Heights High School (FHHS) community is celebrating a recent win by one of its basketball teams and it came in a game that almost did not happen.

The matchup happened on senior night for the Special Olympics basketball team at FHHS. The athletes were excited for the game. They were unphased by their opponent even though it was not the one they were expecting.

“It was good. I felt like this is good, my family came out here and supported me, and I love my family,” said C.J. Cuccio, a senior on the FHHS Special Olympics team.

The night before the game they found out the team they were scheduled to play was sick and would not be able to make it. Organizers said canceling senior night was not an option. So, from the gridiron to the court, in stepped the FHHS football team.

“It was crazy. She told us to show our best and play hard so I made my first three pointer and then I got the ball back, I pushed the other team out of bounds, got the ball and made a lay up,” said Nathan Payne, a junior on the FHHS Special Olympics team.

It was a slam dunk performance for the Special Olympics team. They won 78-49. “They were just banging every shot, making every shot, just seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces. It was just an amazing time even though we lost, it was still really fun, it was a great time, just to see the positivity in the air,” said Hunter Fike, a senior on the FHHS football team.

The football players and Special Olympics athletes often spend time together. But all involved say the teams going head to head made for an unforgettable night. “It was the most heartwarming thing I’ve ever watched in my life. Getting to know them on a personal level, I feel such a connection with them and to watch my other peers connect with them in such an amazing way was so heartwarming and i loved the other night so much,” said Hannah Meade, a student helper.

Plans are to make this matchup a tradition for senior night. “Just the compassion and empathy and how much fun it was having both of them on the court together was just amazing,” said Erin Henschen, an intervention specialist at the school. “In the end I think it was something that originally seemed so bad for me trying to like fix it turned into something  that I don’t think we could ever imagine and it was just like a beautiful thing, I still think about it and so do the kids.”